Africa became a place of apparent importance almost from the start of Halo, especially after we found out that the Ark is possibly (probably) located in Africa. Now with the Iris campaign is full swing, Africa has entered the spotlight even more so.

I found that a very rough yet interesting connection can be made to the REAL "Out of Africa" human evolution theory.

According to the theory, anatomically modern humans evolved in Africa between 200,000 to 100,000 years ago, with members of one branch leaving Africa about 80,000 years ago.

This means (for those who hadn't already considered it) that the activation of the Halos occurred WHILE early humans were on earth. It just so happens that about 75,000 years ago there was a "population bottleneck." (A term used when the base population drops dramatically and the breeding pool becomes dangerously small) The population bottleneck that happened 70,000-75,000 years ago is attributed to the super volcanic event at Lake Toba. It reduced the human population to 10,000 or even 1,000 breeding pairs.

So yeah, wouldent it be nice if the Toba event happened 100,000 years ago instead of 75,000... thats why this connection to the Halo activation is less than perfect. However i think its still interesting to think that the forerunners may have built the Ark for a few thousand humans in Africa (consider the N'chala comic...)

and sorry if this connection has been made before...

Mon Jul 16, 2007 8:03 am

scapermoya

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Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 12:58 amPosts: 115

Re: Ark/ "Out of Africa" Theory Connection

it has been made before, but it's cool if you come up with these things independently. i think the ark is the only reason why humans (and the rest of life on earth) made it through the first firing of the halos. we have discussed this and other things (biblical references, etc.) on this thread.

Mon Jul 16, 2007 8:29 am

yakaman

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Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2007 2:23 amPosts: 48

Re: Ark/ "Out of Africa" Theory Connection

This has been bandied about in multiple times before, and just like your conclusion, I've never seen a theory that quite fits exactly. For the last 4 years, I'd mistakenly interpreted "sentient" as "sapient", and as a result built a bunch of theories based on the assumption that a Halo pulse would only kill humans.

Alas, a Halo pulse would kill a cow just as it would a human. Why does this matter? It matters because any "population bottleneck" caused by the Halo pulse for one species would presumably create one for all species. If your theory were true, I'd expect to see bottlenecks across all species on Earth; the Ark would have preserved/protected only a small portion of each, and life would resume afterwards. Because we only see the bottleneck in humanity, I think we must reach the conclusion that this bottleneck was related to non-Halo circumstances.

So back to square one: I think we know how Earth's life is still here - the Ark. What we don't know:

- Exactly how does the Ark work? How does it protect? A field around Earth? Earth to slipspace? Earth to another galaxy (temporarily)?

- Why didn't the Flood just comes to Earth and feed after the pulses? Presumably, Earth's life survived the pulse, but the Flood was still just hanging around (Halo kills Flood food) - so why didn't they just invade Earth and feast? If the Forerunner, with their combined might, couldn't hold off the Flood, how could the Ark?

- Where do the Covenant species fit into all of this? Presumably they were protected by shield worlds, but did this include all of their planets life as well? I think it did; Voyage of the Infinite Succor includes covenant "cows". But the same questions from above applies...why didn't the Flood just go to each of these preserved planets after the Halo Pulse and feast?

I know the Shield Worlds had a trillion sentinals for protection - I still don't think this would have been enough. Again, if the Sentinals were enough to hold off the Flood, why not just forego the Halos and sit behind an army of Sentinals? Unless, of course, the Halo pulse kills combat forms and Graveminds; if the Halos left only the infection forms, then it all makes sense, at least somewhat.

All these pieces, and none fit together just right.

Mon Jul 16, 2007 11:15 am

uncle_trubble

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Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 8:53 pmPosts: 71Location: Massachusetts

Re: Ark/ "Out of Africa" Theory Connection

"Sentient" could be interpreted to refer only to what we call "intelligent life," meaning that an activation now would kill humans and covies, but no one else. That would allow for the lack of massive population reduction in other species on Earth. It also makes sense in a way that flood can only consume intelligent life.

Wed Jul 18, 2007 1:32 pm

Maimbot 9000

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Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2007 10:46 pmPosts: 228

Re: Ark/ "Out of Africa" Theory Connection

No, that's the same mistake yakaman just admitted making. Sentient does not mean "intelligent life." It means "conscious, able to perceive via the senses." We can't go interpreting words however we like. Our theories have to work with the actual data.

Wed Jul 18, 2007 2:04 pm

uncle_trubble

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Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 8:53 pmPosts: 71Location: Massachusetts

Re: Ark/ "Out of Africa" Theory Connection

Quote:

No, that's the same mistake yakaman just admitted making. Sentient does not mean "intelligent life." It means "conscious, able to perceive via the senses."

I realize that. The debate (which is a milenia-old one) is what conscious truly means. Quite likely I am wrong, but there's a chance htat I'm not. We know that there is animal life on the halos, but we haven't seen any flood versions-an omittance which may be by chance or deliberate.

Wed Jul 18, 2007 5:11 pm

scapermoya

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Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 12:58 amPosts: 115

Re: Ark/ "Out of Africa" Theory Connection

there has never been any indication that whatever blast the Halos emit affects the interior of the ring.

besides, what animals are you referring to?

Wed Jul 18, 2007 8:02 pm

uncle_trubble

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Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 8:53 pmPosts: 71Location: Massachusetts

Re: Ark/ "Out of Africa" Theory Connection

There is every indication that the blast affects those on the ring. If you look at the closing cinematic to H2, the blast center is hte middle of the ring-it starts htere and then would, if activated, explode out in a sphere, affecting the ring. As for the animals, play the level "Regret." As well as at least one kind of bird (maybe 2) there are many types of aquatic life.

Wed Jul 18, 2007 8:37 pm

scapermoya

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Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 12:58 amPosts: 115

Re: Ark/ "Out of Africa" Theory Connection

yeah, if by "indication" you mean "possibility".

we haven't witnessed a full-blown halo firing, so we don't know shit. end of story.

Wed Jul 18, 2007 10:38 pm

uncle_trubble

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Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 8:53 pmPosts: 71Location: Massachusetts

Re: Ark/ "Out of Africa" Theory Connection

Quote:

we haven't witnessed a full-blown halo firing, so we don't know shit. end of story.

That's not true at all. We've seen an activation that was obviously stamped out at the last minute before firing, and if the explosion did not have any effect on the halos themselves, then the forerunners would (a.) have survived by simply being on the rings during activation, and (b) would not have been being careful-the activation would not have applied to the whole galaxy, thus possibly leaving flood hosts alive.

And there's no need to get defensive. This is a speculation forum, for crying out loud.

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